The Scottsdale Scorpions got off the schneid while AFL Rising Stars Game participants Bryce Harper and Derek Norris both extended their hit streaks in a 6-4 win over the Peoria Javelinas.

Like yesterday, Harper hit safely in his first two at-bats to extend his hit streak, which now stands at 11 games. He singled in the 1st and bashed a two-run HR in the 3rd and finished the game 2-for-4 with 2RBI, a run scored, and a strikeout. He played LF again and had one putout.

Norris was the designated hitter and went 1-for-3 to extend his hit streak to nine games, driving in a run on a 1st-inning groundout and also drawing a walk (#10 in 14 games). His OBP is now .450, sixth-best in the AFL.

Zach Walters was the third National to appear in the game, playing third base, where he had an error and an assist, and went 1-for-3 with a strikeout at the plate.
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Harper and Norris were both named to the AFL East squad for the 2011 Rising Stars game, a de facto all-star game that will be televised live on the MLB Network at 8 p.m. this Saturday night. Neither player was named last year, as former farmhand Michael Burgess and Cole Kimball were Washington’s representatives in the 2010 game, which the Western division won 3-2.

There are more than a few people that think Norris ought to be converted to 1B either because they’re unhappy with his proclivity for passed balls or they don’t think Chris Marrero is the long-term answer.

One thing to take under consideration – Passed balls are more the result of footwork & the willingness to ‘sacrifice the body’ as anything else. In a way, it’s the final rite of passage for aspiring catchers; For proof, look no further than Scioscia’s decision to trade Mike Napoli last season.

Norris slugged and “OBPed” last year at Harrisburg but he could not get off .210 for some reason. He needed this AFL outing. If Flores continues to tear up the VWL than he becomes trade bait (I think Pudge does not resign) and Norris gets a shot at backup depending on events and ST. Harper wows everybody in ST, spends however long it takes to become hitterish, goes to Syracuse and may one say Sept. callup? Is not the off season fun?

At catcher at this point I expect Ramos and Flores to open 2012 with the big club. I think that Norris opens in AAA with the team letting Maldonado go; between Solano and Maldonado the latter, at 32 with a less productive bat but perhaps better glove, is the obvious candidate to go. It does kind of open a gap in the system at Harrisburg, though. Neither Sandy Leon nor Brian Peacock really seem like they are ready to move up from Potomac (although Peacock did play a couple of games at AA). Someone’s going to have to move from Potomac to make room for Freitas, though. I don’t think there’s any reason to hold him at Hagerstown.

Solano & Norris splitting time behind the plate in SYR wouldn’t be the worst thing to possibly happen in 2012. While Harrisburg might not open the season with any true ‘prospects’, they could be in decent shape with OG’s like Ivany / Perez / Peacock as placeholders until the next wave of catchers (Leon / Freitas / Nieto) steps up.

It’s pretty clear that Norris’s bat is much more valuable than his defense, which also means it is too valuable to sit on the bench behind Ramos. The move to 1B should be made soon. Backup catchers are like relief pitchers…easily replaceable.

At this point, Norris is a good prospect. Ramos is the catcher of the future. Norris may fetch a better return in a trade than Flores. If Jesus agrees to be a back up catcher, trading Derek might be profitable.